Railway-crossing.



P. STITZEL.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1909.

963,258a Patented July 5, 1910.

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f .Z w 5 7 M J Mm F. STITZEL. RAILWAY CROSSING. I APPLICATION FILED110v. 24, 1909.

Patented July 5, 1910.

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a'wueuto'o FREDERICK STITZEL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

RAILWAY- CROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Application filed November 24, 1909. Serial No. 529,725.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK STITZEL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county ofJefierson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Railway- Crossings, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description. This invention relates to railwaycrossings, and particularly to crossings which are provided at the gapsof the intersecting rails with means for supporting the wheels of thecars as they pass over said gaps.

The object of the invention is to provide a railway crossing, the gapsat the intersections of the rails of which are provided withwheel-supporting devices of simple, effective and economicalconstruction.

The invention consists in a railway crossing having gaps at theintersections of the rails, and rocker-blocks arranged at and spanningsaid gaps, to support the wheels of the cars as they pass over saidgaps, and transfer the wheels from one side of the gap to the other sidethereof, all as I will proceed now to more particularly set forth andfinally claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a planview of a railway crossing, with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2is a perspective View, on a larger scale, of one of the crossingintersections, a port-ion of the rails being shown in dotted lines. Fig.3 is a plan view, on a larger scale, of a portion of the rails at theintersection of the crossing. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section showingone form of rocker-block and its bearing in elevation. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of one of the rocker-blocks, detached. Fig. 6 is a verticalcross-section showing another form of rocker-block and its hearing inelevation. Fig. 7 is a vertical crosssection showing another modifiedform of rocker-block in elevation. Fig. 8 is a similar verticalcross-section, showing another manner of securing the rockerblockbetween the rails. Fig. 9 is a similar vertical cross-section, showingstill another form of rockerblocks. Figs. 10 and 11 are similarsectional.

views showing the operation of two of the forms of rocker-blocks whenacted upon by the tread of a car-wheel.

The crossing-rails may beof any usual or approved construction, andcomprise the main rails 1, and guard rails 2, with the gaps 3 and 4 atthe intersection of the rails.

Arranged at and spanning the gaps 3 and 4 and extending sufficientlyinto the heads of the corners of the main rails 1 to be engaged by thetreads of the wheels, are the rocker-blocks, and preferably therockerblocks as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 10 are constructed of asingle piece of metal having a base 5 provided with a semi-circularbottom 6 and a flat top 7, and wheel-em gaging portions 8 projectingupwardly from the opposite longitudinal edges of the top 7 of the base,and of less length than the base to leave portions 9 of the baseextending beyond the wheel-engaging portion for a purpose presentlyappearing. Preferably the upper wheel-engaging surfaces of the portions8 are beveled or inclined inwardly to more perfectly conform with thecurvature of the tread of the wheel when engaged thereby. Theseprojections are parallel to one another, and one projects on one side ofthe gap and the other on the other side of the same gap, thus leavingthe gap itself always open.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the rockerblocks are provided with shoulders10 to form stops to limit the rocking motion of the blocks.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 4 and 7, the rocker-blocks aresupported in bearing-blocks 11, having in their upper surface asemi-circular bearing 12 in which the semi-circular portion 6 of therockerblock fits, the upper edges of the bearing blocks being shoulderedto form stops 13 to coact with the stops or shoulders 10 of therocker-blocks to limit the rocking motion of the rocker-blocks. As shownin Fig. 7, these stops and shoulders are inclined or beveled to bettershed dust or dirt that may enter the rails around the rockerblocks andprevent the same from getting into the bearing-surfaces.

The bearing-blocks 11 are of a size to fit snugly between the webs ofthe rails and below the heads thereof, and are preferably bolted inplace.

In applying the rocker-blocks, the heads of the main and guard rails atthe gaps are cut away, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, to form recesses14 for the wheel-engaging portions 8 of the rocker-blocks, and therocker-blocks and their bearing-blocks 11,

being properly assembled, and placed between the rails, with theportions 8 of the rocker-blocks in their respective recesses, the partsare securely bolted together by bolts 15, passing through the webs ofthe rails and the bearing-blocks. In this form of the device theprojecting ends 9 of the rocker-blocks extend under the heads of therails adjacent to therecesses 1a and secure the rockerblock againstupward displacement.

The wheelengaging surfaces of the rocker -bloclrs project slightly abovethe heads of the rails and extend sufiiciently into the heads of themain rails of the intersec tions to be engaged by the tread of the wheelor wheels running upon said rails.

As shown in Fig. 6, the rocker-block is provided with a curved concavity16, to engage a coinplernentally curved raised portion 17 on thebearing-block.

The invention is applicable to street railway crossings as Well as tosteam railway crossings, and in Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown the inventionas applied to a street railway crossing, wherein the main rails andguard rails are made as a casting with a solid Web 18.

As shown in Fig. 8, the rocker-block 19 is constructed with a curvedbase adapted to engage a coniplemental bearing 20 formed I in the solidweb of the casting. In this form of the device the wheel-engagingportions or lugs 21, such as bolts or screws passing therethrough andengaging recesses 22 formed in the heads of the rails, and also servingto secure the rocker-blocks against upward displacement, the recesses 22being elongated sufiiciently to permit the rocking motion of therocker-blocks.

As shown in Fig. 9, the casting is bored with vertical openings 23, toreceive sliding wheel-engaging blocks 24, the said blocks resting upon arocker 25 engaging a cornp-lemental bearing surface 26 formed in astirrup or bracket 27 secured to the underside of the rail casting.

It will be observed that the wheel-engaging portions of the respectiverocker-blocks are arranged at the gaps in the main rails at eachintersection of the crossing, and that the space between the saidwheel-engaging portions is sufficient to allow the flanges of the wheelsto pass therethrough, the flanges of the wheels having no contact withthe rocker-blocks and no function in the operation of saidrocker-blocks.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that a train isapproaching the crossing, it will be seen by reference to Figs. 10 and11, that the tread of the wheel will first strike that wheel-engagingportion of the rockenblock on that side of the gap nearest the approachof the wheel and" depress that portion of the rocker-block and cause thewheel-engaging portion thereof on the opposite side of the gap to beelevated or forced into engagement with the tread of the wheel at apoint in advance of its first engagement with the rocker-block, and thusconstituting a rocking support for the wheel as it passes over the gap,the wheel with its load being supported by the rocker-block andtransferred from one side of the gap to the other without jar. The wheelin leaving the gap depresses the wheel-engaging portion of therocker-block on the far side of the gap to the level of the head of therail and elevates the opposite wheel engaging portion slightly above thehead of the rail at the approaching side of the gap in readi' ness to beengaged by the next succeeding wheel, and the rocker-block performs itsfunction of transferring the several successive wheels of a train fromone side of the gap to the other without jar or shock.

It is to be noted, that these rocker-blocks span the gaps and are notengaged by the flanges of the wheels, and hence the liability ofderailment by the undue lifting of the wheel flanges is eliminated. Therockerblocks are operated solely by contact with the treads of thewheels, and their wheel-engaging projections are relatively so closethat when one projection is thrown down by wheel contact, the other iselevated into engagement with the wheel at such close range that thewheel is practically supported upon a rocking bearing and maintained ona level with the rails during its entire passage across the gap.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to the detailsof construction and installation herein shown and described, as the samemay be changed in various particulars and still be within the scope ofthe invention.

hat I claim is:

l. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,and rocker-blocks independently supported in and spanning the gap ofeach rail at each intersection of the rails and adapted to support thewheels of a car as said wheels pass over the gaps and transfer saidwheels from one side of the gaps to the other.

2. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,rocker-blocks arranged in and spanning said gaps and having parallelwheel-engaging projections ex tending up into the heads of the rails andclear of the gaps and in the line of the travel of the treads ofthewheels and out of possible contact with the flanges of the wheels, thenear wheel-engaging projection relatively to the approaching wheel beingdepressed by engagement with the tread of the wheel and the farwheel-engaging projection of the same rocker-block being therebyelevated into contact with the tread of the said wheel, whereby thewheel is supported and transferred across the gap without shock.

3. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,and rockerblocks arranged at said gaps, each having wheel-engagingportions at opposite edges of its gap adapted to be engaged by the treadof a wheel to cause both of said wheelengaging portions to engage thewheel and thereby support the wheel on said rockerblock as it passesover said gap and transfer the wheel from one side of the gap to theother.

4:. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,and rocker-blocks arranged at said gaps, each having wheelengagingportions at opposite edges of its gap provided with beveledwheel-contacting surfaces conforming with the curvature of the wheel andadapted to be engaged by the tread of the wheel to cause both of saidwheel-engaging portions to engage the wheel and thereby support thewheel on said rockerblock as it passes over said gap and transfer thewheel from one side of the gap to the other.

5. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,and rocker-blocks arranged at said gaps, each rockerblock havingwheel-engaging portions at opposite edges of its gap projecting abovethe head of the rails and adapted to be engaged by the tread of thewheel to cause both of said wheel-engaging portions to engage the treadof the wheel and thereby support the wheel as it passes over the gap andtransfer the wheel from one side of the gap to the other.

6. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,and rocker-blocks arranged at said gaps, each rocker-block comprising acurved base and upwardly projecting wheel-engaging portions arranged atopposite sides of the gap adapted to be engaged by the tread of thewheel to cause both of said wheel-engaging portions to engage the treadof the wheel as it passes over the gap to thereby support said wheel onsaid rocker-block and transfer it from one side of the gap to the other,and complementally curved bearings for said rockerblocks in saidcrossing.

7 A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails, androcker-blocks arranged at said gaps, each rocker-block comprising acurved base and upwardly project'ing wheel-engaging portions arranged atopposite sides of the gap adapted to be engaged by the tread of thewheel to cause both of said wheel-engaging portions to engage the treadof the wheel as it passes over the gap to thereby support said wheel onsaid rocker-blocks and transfer it from one side of the gap to theother, complementally curved bearings for said rockerblocks in saidcrossing, and stops for limiting the rocking movement of saidrockerblocks.

8. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,and rocker-blocks arranged at said gaps, each rocker-block comprising acurved base and upwardly projecting wheel-engaging portions arranged atopposite sides of the gap adapted to be engaged by the tread of thewheel to cause both of said wheel-engaging portions to engage the treadof the wheel as it passes over the gap to thereby support said wheel onsaid rocker-block and transfer it from one side of the gap to the other,complementally curved bearings for said rocker-blocks in said crossing,stops for limiting the rocking movement of said rocker-blocks, and meansfor securing said rocker-blocks and their bearings in place.

9. A railway crossing, having gaps at the intersections of the rails,and rocker-blocks arranged at said gaps, each rocker-block comprising arocker base and upwardly pro jecting wheel-engaging portions fitted inrecesses in the rails upon opposite sides of the gap and adapted to beengaged by the tread of a wheel to cause both of said wheelengagingportions to engage the tread of the wheel as it passes over the gap, tothereby support the wheel on said rocker-block and transfer it from oneside of the gap to the other.

i 10. A railway crossing, having intersecting main and guard rails, andgaps at the intersections of the rails, the said main and guard railsbeing provided with recesses in their heads adjacent to said gaps,rockerblocks arranged at said gaps, each rockerblock comprising a basehaving a curved bottom portion and a fiat top portion and wheel-engagingportions extending upwardly from opposite sides of the top portion ofthe base between its ends and adapted to fit in the recesses in theheads of the main and guard rails and extending into the head of themain rails upon opposite sides of the gap with the base upon oppositesides of the wheel-engaging portions extending beneath the heads of therails to secure the rocker-blocks against upward displacement,

and bearing-blocks arranged between the rails in which saidrocker-blocks are mounted.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d. day ofNovember A. D. 1909.

FREDERICK STITZEL.

Witnesses:

FRANK MERCKE, GEORGE MERGKE.

